Vizio to Demo Google TV Sets at CES

Vizio will dash the theory that Google asked TV set makers to halt shipments of new Google TV appliances by introducing two new Google TV sets at the Consumer Electronics Show.

Rumors of Google TV delays by hardware partners may have
been exaggerated.
Vizio on Jan. 3 announced it would demonstrate TV sets
and Blu-ray players preloaded with the Web-meets-TV service at the 2011
Consumer Electronics Show.

Vizio said it will show off the VIA Plus 47-inch XVT3D476SV and 56-inch
XVT3D556SV HDTVs at their private CES showcase at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas
beginning Jan. 6.

Via Plus is the company's line of Android-based devices,
encompassing HDTVs, Blu-ray players, smartphones and tablet computers. Engadget
has images of the products here.
Vizio said in a press release that its Google TV-enabled VIA
Plus HDTVs and Blu-ray players will come with Bluetooth-capable QWERTY
universal remote with a directional touchpad, 802.11n WiFi and enhanced
onscreen navigation, including Google search and the Chrome Web browser.
These are the standard features Sony has offered for its
Google TV-enabled televisions and Blu-ray players since their launch in October
in time for the holiday season.

However, Sony and Logitech created separate software
applications to let users control their Google TV appliances from Android-based handsets and
tablets.
Vizio is enabling its new smartphones and tablets to operate the company's Google TV
appliances via a built-in IR blaster with universal remote control app. This ecosystem integration is unique among the small
Google TV universe today.
Google TV Product Manager Rishi Chandra expressed his
pleasure with Vizio's move in a brief blog post Jan. 3.
"Vizio is making a new line of TVs and a Blu-ray
player incorporating Google TV that will hit shelves later this year,"
Chandra wrote.
He reaffirmed that Google will roll out developer tools
and the Android Market for building Google TV applications.
The Vizio news comes just two weeks after The New York
Times
said Google asked TV set makers to delay introducing Google TV-based products
at the 2011 CES so that the company can improve the software.
Logitech, whose Revue companion box was the first Google
TV device to hit the market, vehemently
denied that Google asked for a stay.
The company noted that Google TV updates are delivered
over the air and independent of the hardware, making it senseless for Google to
request manufacturing stoppages from hardware partners.